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December 06, 2012

By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service

ALMATY, Kazakhstan – Dozens of Kazakh rights activists have picketed outside the Polish Consulate in Almaty to protest the possible extradition of a Kazakh national.

The protesters say Meirman Shauenov, who was detained in Poland this week, will face torture if he is extradited to Kazakhstan.

Shauenov and his family fled to Poland in January after the Kazakh authorities launched investigations into deadly clashes between striking oil workers and police in the western town of Zhanaozen.

Police shot dead at least 16 people there in December 2011.

Activists say scores of Zhanaozen residents were detained and beaten after the clashes.

In June, 13 locals convicted of inciting the unrest were sentenced to prison terms of between three and seven years.

Shauenov's wife told RFE/RL that Polish police detained her husband at the request of Kazakh authorities on December 3.